1. Technical Field
This invention relates to milk storage and, more particularly, to a portable breast milk pasteurizer/homogenizer for providing users with an effective means of extending the shelf life of breast milk.
2. Prior Art
Millions of women nurse their babies. A natural means of transferring nutrients, nursing is beneficial to both the child and the mother. Encouraged by most pediatricians, medical associations and the United States Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, nursing during the first several months of life can result in a healthy, happy child. Nursing is so important that a recent article published by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) strongly advocates and promotes this natural means of feeding one's child for its “indisputable nutritional, immunological, psychological and economic benefits.” Some of the many benefits of nursing that have been documented include; fewer ear and respiratory infections, potentially fewer allergies, reduced incidence of blood infections, meningitis, cancer, insulin-dependent diabetes and most importantly, lower mortality rate and occurrences of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Additionally, breast milk transfers disease-preventing immunities from the mother to the child and is a recognized “brain food.” For the nursing mother, benefits are also plentiful. In addition to creating a lasting bond between mother and child, women who nurse have lower occurrences of breast and ovarian cancer. Nursing triggers the uterine muscles, forcing them to constrict and returning the uterus to the pre-pregnancy size ad shape. Passing calories, fat and nutrients to their babies through breast milk, mothers that nurse also lose weight faster than those who do not. Furthermore, nursing one's child also saves potentially thousands of dollars in costly infant formulas and caned milk products.
For working mothers, breast feeding may be a sensitive issue in public or places of work. These locations may be inconvenient or unhygienic such as public areas where there are traffic or work places where machineries and dirty equipment are placed. Additionally, working mothers may need to store their breast milk due to extra capacity or waiting feeding time. Such inconveniences may cause busy moms to abandon breast feeding prematurely.
Accordingly, a need remains for a device in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a portable milk pasteurizer/homogenizer that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, versatile in its applications, and designed for providing users with a convenient means of lengthening the shelf life of breast milk.